Realm of the dance: vintage news - 70th Anniversary Issue

Dance Magazine, June, 1997 by Paul Ben-Itzak

JULY 1955: Bob Joffrey, in England to stage 2 ballets for Ballet Rambert, returns to teach at the Cornish School, Seattle in July. He will also choreograph 2 musicals for Seattle's "Music Under the Stars," with Gerald Arpino as leading dancer.

OCTOBER 1955: Martha Graham & Co. begin their long-awaited tour of Asia in Tokyo Oct. 31. Backed by the State Dept's Int'l Exchange Program and ANTA, the 4-month tour will include Japan, Korea, the Philippines, Malaya, Thailand, Burma, Indonesia, India, Pakistan, Ceylon, Iran and Iraq. The Co. consists of: Helen McGehee, Ethel Winter, Linda Hodes, Man Turney, Ellen van der Hoeven, Esta McKayle, Christine Lawson, Marian Sarach, Robert Cohan, Stuart Hodes, Bertram Ross, David Wood, Cameron McCosh, Donald McKayle, and Paul Taylor.

NOVEMBER 1955: New musicals which may need dancers: ... East Side Story (Jerome Robbins).

FEBRUARY 1959: Doris Humphrey, American dancer and choreographer, died of cancer December 29 at the Flower and Fifth Avenue Hospital, to which she was admitted the day before Christmas. Her age was sixty-three. A foremost figure in the development of American modern dance for the last three decades, she was active as Director of the Dance Department of the 92nd Street YM-YWHA, and Artistic Director of the Juilliard Dance Theatre, the Jose Limon Co., and the Merry-Go-Rounders in recent years. (This obituary was based on one in the New York Times.)

APRIL 1959: The Bolshoi Ballet makes its American debut Apr. 16-May 9 in the very capitalistic surroundings of the Metropolitan Opera House. 200 strong, the company represents the largest-scale ballet import in U.S. theatrical history. Opening night tickets have a top price of $50 apiece. Galina Ulanova will head the troupe.

APRIL 1960: The hit musical, West Side Story, is now to be a color movie. Jerome Robbins will co-direct.

SEPTEMBER 1960: The American Ballet Theatre, Lucia Chase and Oliver Smith, directors, IS going to Russia! -- the 1st American Co. to appear there. The co. is headed by Maria Tallchiet, Lupe Serrano, Toni Lander, Ruth Ann Koesun, Ady Addor, Erik Bruhn, Royes Fernandez, John Kriza, Scott Douglas, Glen Tetley and guest artist Igor Youskevitch.

NOVEMBER 1960: Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo & the American Guild of Musical Artists finally signed a basic agreement. This pact provides for a new minimum wage for touring of $115 per week.

FEBRUARY 1961: George Balanchine, invited to the White House by Mrs. Kennedy, was one of the 1st official guests of the new administration.

* Alvin Ailey appears in his 1st dramatic role in new off-B'way prod. of "Call Me By My Right Name," opening Feb. 1 at 1 Sheridan Square.

* The New Year started with a rush for NYC Ballet's Edward Villella. On the aft. of Jan. 1 he danced on TV's "Omnibus" in excerpts from Figure in the Carpet, that eve. in "Music for a New Year's Night -- class of `61." On Jan. 2 at City Center he gave his 1st perf. as the Cavalier in "The Nutcracker."

JULY 1961: Scratch the name of Rudolf Nureyev from the list of Leningrad Maryinsky Ballet stars due to open an American tour Sept. 11 at the Metropolitan Opera. On June 16 at the Paris airport, the 23-year-old lead dancer suddenly broke away from the Soviet security agents and asked airport police for political asylum.